The Journal of Jax Pavan
by TwoBrothersWriting
Summary: This story is part of the TFN Diary Challenge where participants must keep a character journal for one year, posting at least two entries per month. My journal is based on the canon character Jax Pavan, a Jedi Knight struggling to survive after Order 66. He is from the books Coruscant Knights and The Last Jedi. I will base the story on canon events, but it is an AU story.
1. Chapter 1

_**Author's Note: I am participating in TFN's Dear Diary Challenge where we have to maintain a diary or journal for a Star Wars character (either canon or an original character) for the entire year. Participants must post at least two entries per month. I decided to do a journal based on Jax Pavan a canon character from the Saga era books: the **__**Coruscant Nights Trilogy**__** and **__**The Last Jedi**__**.**_

_**This takes place around 19 BBY…but since the Battle of Yavin didn't happen yet, I am not sure how I should indicate dates for this time period. If anybody knows the answer please let me know. Thanks! **_

_**I post under another screen name at TFN.**_

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My name is Jax Pavan and I am possibly the last of the Jedi.

I have never been one to keep a journal, but my friend Den Dhur, a Sullustan journalist I befriended during my travels, suggested I keep a diary. According to him, if I were truly the last of my kind, it is my duty to record my recollections. Otherwise, it would be an immeasurable loss to the galaxy if all the knowledge of the Jedi were extinguished during my lifetime.

Although writing does not come easy for me, I know Den is right. Emperor Palpatine has gone to great lengths to blot out the very existence of the Jedi Order. First he issued the infamous Order 66, which resulted in what many now call '_Flame Night'_—the mass slaughter of Jedi_._ The Jedi Knights on the battlefield were slain by their own troops. Those Jedi remaining in the Jedi Temple were set siege by a battalion of clone troopers. Everybody within was slaughtered to include Padawan younglings and even babies slumbering within Temple crèche. How any sentient being could put a blasterbolt through a newborn's chest is beyond my comprehension.

Unfortunately, Emperor Palpatine was just getting started. He undoubtedly killed a great majority of the Jedi the first day, and then the clean up operations began. Coruscant, or as it is renamed now—Imperial Center, became home to a secret Imperial Intelligence division. The men and women within this shadowy bureaucracy were Force-sensitive agents…darkside adepts called Inquisitors. These sinister sycophants, under the control of Darth Vader, were tasked with the duty of hunting down, interrogating, torturing and then killing any surviving Jedi.

These red robed killers were extremely well trained in the Force and the use of the lightsaber, which made me wonder how long the once seemingly benevolent and respected Chancellor Palpatine had planned his government takeover. Was he responsible for the creation of the clone army? Who trained these inquisitors prior to _Flame Night_? I don't know the answer to these questions, only that the extent of the Emperor's machinations must be staggering.

I had the unhappy opportunity to visit the remains of the burnt out Jedi Temple months after it was destroyed. The clone troopers did a thorough job when it came to destroying the library and all records residing within.

Den might be right. The knowledge within my head might be all that remains of my beloved Jedi Order.


	2. Chapter 2

**SPOILER ALERT: This fanfic deals with situations occurring in the canon novel: _The Last Jedi_.**

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**_Entry 2_**

Today was difficult…but all days are difficult now…some are just less stressful than others.

This morning my ship, a Helix-class light interceptor christened _Laranth,_ touched down at Mountain Home—a secret resistance outpost established by the Antarian Rangers on the planet Toprawa. The Rangers are a paramilitary force established hundreds of years ago to assist the Jedi Order. The Jedi are all but gone, but the Rangers continue to fight the good fight and now strive to overthrow the newly established and despotic Imperial regime.

Toprawa is a beautiful forested planet in the Kalamith sector of the Outer Rim Territories. As I walked down the boarding ramp of the ship onto the docking pad I breathed in the planet's aromatic pine air as bittersweet memories flooded over me. I sadly remembered the last time I was here with my best friend and companion, Laranth Tarak.

_Force, I miss Laranth!_

Laranth was somebody I knew in my youth at the Temple; she was a green skinned, emerald eyed Twi'lek who eventually left the Jedi Order to join the Gray Paladins—a Force-using sect who embraced the minimal dependency on the Force and the utilization of any conventional weapon, not just the lightsaber, to achieve their goals.

I lost track of her after she joined the Gray Paladins, but I saw her briefly when I fled the Temple district on _Flame Night_. A few months later we were reunited deep within in the Black Pit slums on Coruscant. She obviously had seen some fierce fighting since our last encounter. Her left lekku was shortened by a blasterbolt and her face was crisscrossed with a thin, white web of scar tissue. Her face was marked by combat, but it in no way distracted from her beauty and despite her stoic and stern expression she reserved for most of the galaxy, I knew she wasn't an emotionless or cold person. Buried deep within, her soul glowed with the lightside of the Force. She hid her feelings well but I knew she was a deeply passionate woman and I was extremely lucky to be the recipient of her affection…even if it was for a short time. She was a special person…and I loved her dearly.

I sighed deeply as I remembered the last time we were together on this planet. Laranth expressed a desire to stay on Toprawa. She practically begged me to put down roots among the towering forests on _Mountain Home_. She didn't want to return to Coruscant where she felt the walls were closing in on her, on us, like a giant trap. She tried to convince me that we could make a home here, search for other Jedi and work with the Rangers to overthrow the Empire.

I had to admit I was tempted. Toprawa was so different from the world-city of Coruscant. Here I could feel the wind on my face, the dirt under my feet and the fragrant scents of grass and pine needles wafting over from the surrounding forest.

Unfortunately I turned her down and instead appealed to her sense of duty to _Whiplash_ the Coruscanti based resistance movement of which we were members. "It's not about what _we_ want, Laranth," I had told her. "It's about what the galaxy _needs_."

I should have listened to her. It _was_ a trap. The Force was whispering to her the truth…the danger, but I ignored her…and now she's dead having sacrificed her life to save mine along with the crew of the _Far Ranger_. All that remained of her was a ship named after my lost love and the small Miisai tree she had given me as a gift.

I was standing at the base of the boarding ramp lost in thought and feeling sorry for myself when my Sullustan friend, Den Dhur, pulled me out of my disheartened musings.

"Is something wrong?"

I looked down at the diminutive alien and gave him a forced smile. I knew he was worried about me since my last mission. I had reluctantly embraced the darkside knowledge from a Sith Holocron in order to rescue the Cerean leader of Whiplash, Thi Xon Yimmon, from the clutches of Darth Vader and his Imperial Inquisitors. I was successful…not as a direct result of my darkside knowledge, but mainly due to the help I received from my unwaveringly loyal comrades— Antarian Ranger Sacha Swiftbird, Den Dhur and I-5YQ my self-aware droid friend.

"Nothing's wrong," I said to Den as I tapped a finger against my temple. "All that dark Sith knowledge has been purged from my mind. I promise not to go rogue on you."

Den gave me a look that I interpreted as the Sullustan equivalent of uncertainty before it quickly disappeared and was replaced by a smile. "Good." He looked back at the ship. "What do we do now?"

I shrugged. "We get Yimmon to the Ranger leadership, contact _Whiplash_, and wait to see how we proceed from here."

Den nodded and then looked down to the ground hesitantly. "Are we going back to Coruscant?"

I shook my head. "I…I'd rather not. Laranth was right when she told me the Imperials on Coruscant where learning how we worked, how we moved. Maybe it is best to stay away from the Empire's stronghold and build up the resistance from outside its reach. Perhaps I can find fellow Jedi who escaped like I did…or train new Jedi recruits."

A slight smile crossed Den's face. "Is that why you sent a message to the Dathomir Singing Mountain Clan?"

Through the Force I could feel silent amusement emanating from my friend as if he was ruminating over some private joke. "Yeah," I said cautiously. "I sent a message to Magash the Zabrak woman."

I've been to Dathomir twice in the last few months. Once was to search for answers on how to access the dark knowledge within Darth Ramage's Sith Holocron and the second time was to get that dark festering knowledge out of my head. Luckily, Augwynne Djo, the elder leader of the Singing Mountain Clan of Dathomiri Witches knew how to purge Sith information from my memories. During my time with the witches I met a human-Zabrak hybrid female named Magash Drashi who expressed a keen interest in learning more about the Jedi and the galaxy outside of Dathomir. On the way back to Toprawa, and after some thought, I decided to invite Magash to join me to train in the ways of the Force.

"I met Magash while there." Den smirked. "So it looks like you might have two young female padawans…that is if you plan on training Sacha. She is Force-sensitive, isn't she? She did kill the Inquisitor with a lightsaber."

I nodded in thought. Sacha Swiftbird was an attractive human female in her twenties. She once was a successful Pod Racer until an unfortunate racing accident took her eye and with it her profession. It was a great loss to the Pod Racing community, but a boon to the Antarian Rangers. Even with a cybernetic prosthetic eye Sacha was one of the best pilots I've ever met. She was also a good ground fighter as an unfortunate Sith Inquisitor discovered during our last mission. "Killing somebody with a lightsaber doesn't mean you're Force sensitive," I told Den. "But, yes, I sense the Force potential within her."

Den gave out a slight snort. "Well, this should be interesting."

My brow furrowed. "How so?"

Den looked back up the ramp making sure nobody was listening. "After dropping you off with the Clan leader the rest of the gang was brought to the village for lunch. When Magash saw Sacha…well, lets just say if looks could kill Sacha would be in intensive care."

I shook my head in confusion. I spent most of my time on Dathomir under the care of Augwynne Djo while the rest my party enjoyed the hospitality of the Clan. "What happened between Sacha and Magash?"

Den was now chuckling out loud. "Nothing…violent. There was just some friction between the two women. Magash straight out asked Sacha if she was your new_ '__mate'_."

"What?!" I said in shock. I was surprised that Sacha didn't mention any of this on the way back from Dathomir. "What did Sacha say?"

Den's grin grew wider. "I think Sacha was a little…put off by the witch's forceful personality because she put on her best sardonic grin and said, _'No…not yet'_ and then walked off leaving Magash looking somewhat perturbed."

"She didn't," I said while slapping the palm of my hand to my forehead. I'm positive Sacha was joking, but I'm also absolutely certain that Magash wouldn't understand or appreciate Sacha's sarcastic and sometimes flirtatious sense of humor.

"She did," Den assured me. "Magash appeared very interested in you…as does Sacha."

"Great." I brought my hand to squeeze the bridge of my nose in frustration. "You're right. Training those two _is_ going to be interesting."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Entry 3**_

I sent a message to Pol Haus and Sheel Mafeen, the two surviving Whiplash council members on Coruscant, letting them know Yimmon was rescued. I also told them I no longer believed it wise for me to be on Coruscant. The Emperor was making his home at Imperial Center and therefore so did Darth Vader. I straight out told them that I think Vader could sense me whenever I'm near, making me more of a liability than anything else on the city world.

What I didn't tell them was why I thought Darth Vader could sense me. I am now positive Vader was once my old acquaintance, Anakin Skywalker. Previously I believed Lord Vader hunted me strictly to obtain the Force-enhancing bota extract that came into my possession. It was when Darth Vader demanded that I _**return**_ a Pyronium Crystal to him that I recognized his true identity. Only Anakin Skywalker knew about the crystal...because it was Anakin who gave it to me for safekeeping in the first place.

Because of our past association, I am certain Vader has my Force signature memorized. I think I got past him once before on Coruscant only because he thought I was dead. He won't make that same mistake twice. Unless he has my cold lifeless body to ground under his heel he will _always_ assume I'm alive…and he will _never_ stop looking for me. His search is now driven by revenge. Vengeance is fueled by anger and hatred…something that appears to be in an endless supply to the Dark Lord.

No, it is best that I don't return to Coruscant, at least not now when everybody within the Empire was looking to capture or kill me.

I returned to my ship, _Laranth_, to see what my friends were up to. The transport was quiet and I thought it empty until I heard some movement in the 'fresher. The door was open so I walked to the entrance expecting to find Den brushing his teeth or washing his dewflaps or whatever morning hygiene rituals Sullustan's partake in.

I startled when I found a human male in the 'fresher applying make up to his face. "Good morning Jax," came the familiar voice of I-Five.

I'm slowly getting used to the idea of having I-Five in the chassis of a BB-4000 HRD human-replicant droid, but it is a bit overwhelming at times. First I had to become accustomed to dealing with a sentient droid. Now that he had a humanoid body, I know I'll constantly have to remind myself that he's not actually human.

I looked at him slack jawed for a moment. "What are you doing?"

An eerily human looking head turned toward me while holding up a bottle of flesh-colored makeup, the type women use to even out their facial appearance. He raised a dark brown eyebrow and smiled. "Sacha loaned me some cosmetics; I am doing a little touch up work."

I let out a deep laugh, surprising myself. It felt good to laugh again. "Do you have a big date?"

I-Five kept his facial features even, not giving away any internal thoughts. "In fact I do have a big date. I downloaded some sub-programing to allow me to fully comprehend human facial expressions and behavior and it had most unexpected side effect. I am now filled with a desire to act human. And one thing humans do on a regular basis is maintain proper hygiene and grooming so that they may successfully undergo humanoid pre-copulation dating rituals."

I stared at him for a long moment speechless. "What? Who are you dating?" I couldn't believe I was actually asking him that, but a few years ago if somebody told me I would have a self-aware droid friend, I wouldn't have believed that either.

I-Five appeared to have a glitch in his cybernetic mouth regulators because for a split second I was certain he smirked. "Why she's a lovely D9-2E cleaning droid tasked to do litter and trash removal. It is rumored that trashbots have a tendency to be somewhat _uninhibited_. " He drew out that last word for emphasis, then looked at me with the most serious expression. "I do need your advice though. How should I respond if she asks me if her new coat of metallic gray paint makes her chassis look big?"

I made exasperated snort when I realized he was joking with me. "You had me going for a moment, I-Five." I started laughing and realized I was having trouble stopping once it started. I leaned against the doorjamb while trying to catch my breath. "Really, what _are_ you doing_?_"

I-Five turned back to the mirror and dabbed some cover-up cream under his eyes. "I am attempting to circumvent _Eerie Coulee Disorder_—the sense of unease manifested by most humans or near-humans when they encounter a droid that looks fairly human, but not entirely so. Some scientists believe subtle, but atypical, droid facial expressions are the cause. This may be partially true, but even deactivated HRD units can elicit an adverse reaction from humans. Therefore, my theory is humans perceived the smooth and even skin tone of the synthflesh as unnatural. Therefore, by creating a flawed and uneven skin shading I believe I can avoid triggering a sense of repugnance in most humans." He finished dabbing the make-up on his face and turned toward me. "There, do I now illicit a positive or adverse response from you?"

I bit down on my lower lip trying not to laugh. "Are you asking me if I find you attractive?"

The corner of I-Five's mouth turned down in a perfect expression of annoyance. "No, I am asking if you are experiencing a sense of unease from me."

I chuckled. "I am now that you are hitting up on me."

I-Five gave a very human sigh as he pushed his way past me.

"Where are you going?" I asked.

He stopped and turned. "I am going to talk to Sacha and ask her how she perceives me."

A wide grin spread across my face. "Can I come with you? I want to see how she reacts to that question."

I-Five rolled his bronzed colored eyes until his gaze locked onto the ceiling of the ship. "Now I know why humans do this particular ocular gesture. It allows them to remove their gaze from the object of their frustration so they can fully contemplate the merits of strangling their antagonist."

"I see the new body did nothing to quell you sarcastic sense of humor."

"That _is_ true. I am going to take your advice though and not ask Sacha that particular question. I don't want her to believe she has two handsome suitors vying for her affections."

My brow furrowed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

His expression became blank and impossible to read before a small, disarming smile crossed his face along with a small shrug of his shoulders. "I was attempting humor. I meant nothing by that comment, but jest." He looked at his hands. "I wonder if Geri can retrofit my lasers back into these droid hands?" He shook his head as if answering his own question. "I supposed that would take away from the realism of this humanoid form." He looked back up to me and pointed to his face. "Perhaps he could install the lasers within the clear duraplast optical orbs of this droid body giving me lasers for eyes. Then I would truly have a withering gaze."

I barely heard I-Five prattling on; I was too distracted by his earlier comment. I wanted to ask him what he _really _meant with that Sacha comment. It might have been a joke. I-Five did have his creative dampeners disabled by my father decades ago and was more than capable of jest, but this was the second time somebody mentioned a romantic tie between me and Sacha.

Did I do something to give her the impression that I'm interested in a relationship? I hoped not because I have no desire for any future romantic entanglements. I'm still reeling over the loss of Laranth. The pain is so deep and agonizing that I may never want to risk my heart again. Were I-Five and Den putting ideas into her head? If so, I had to put a stop to that. When I pulled myself out of my musings long enough to question I-Five about the situation… he was already gone.

"Great," I grumbled as I went to my cabin knowing I needed to meditate over this situation. I picked up the potted Miisai tree Laranth had given me off the cabin's lone table and placed it gently on the deck. I sat down cross-legged facing the miniature tree and dropped into a deep calming trance. As I tenderly stroked the feathery boughs of the centuries-old tree I could feel the Force flowing through the roots and branches…and for the thousandth time in the last few months I wished I could reach out to Laranth, just to touch her spirit once, but I knew that was foolish. I could inadvertently draw Vader to the planet…and I also knew it was unnecessary. Laranth was here with me. She was one with the Force and flowed through all living things. There was no need to reach out for something that lived within your heart and soul.

I closed my eyes, relaxed and listened to the Force.


	4. Chapter 4

_**Entry 4**_

Later that day Sacha Swiftbird came to the ship to see me. "Jax?" she called down the corridor.

As I exited my cabin to greet her an inexplicit feeling of bashfulness flooded over me. I know it's an unreasonable response, but I don't want to give Sacha the continued impression that I am interested in a relationship…if that's what actually she believes.

I'm not saying she isn't beautiful. She is an attractive young woman with a petite build and a stunning head of jet-black hair with silver highlights. Her cybernetic eye mimics her organic pale grey eye nicely with the only lingering aftereffect of her accident is a slight scarring around the eyelid. Any man would be proud to have her as a romantic partner…any man who didn't have his heart crushed by the loss of his mate that is.

"I'm here," I called out to her.

She sauntered towards me wearing a form fitting flight suit and a huge smile on her face. "Since you decided to stay on planet, I was told to assign you billets."

I looked at her and then back to my ship's cabin. "I'd thought I would just live on the ship."

She shook her head. "No good. The Rangers are on a strict budget and it costs more to maintain power to the living section of a ship and do 'fresher waste removal than it is to have a person live in the barracks. Besides, you don't want to be stuck using a sonic shower when you can have a long hot shower under running water. Some of the larger rooms even have a bath."

"What about Den and I-Five? Will they room with me?"

She gave a shrug of a shoulder. "The rooms are for single occupants, but I suppose I-Five won't need a bunk…so he can be with you or Den. As long as there are empty rooms he can probably have a place of his own if he wants."

"Have you seen them?"

She pointed in the direction of the mechanic repair shop. "I think they're with our mech-tech Geri. I saw I-Five earlier when he returned my…when he returned some items I lent him. He said he was thinking of some modifications."

I suppressed a smile. Sacha didn't want to tell me she lent I-Five her make-up. "Okay, I think I'll talk to them first to get their opinion on the room arrangements."

She nodded. "Sure. There are a lot of empty rooms in my building. Perhaps it's best that we stick close to each other," she said softly before she gave me what I considered a come-hither smile.

"Why uh…why is that?" I managed to croak out without sounding too much like a nervous prepubescent boy.

Her smile faded and I could see disappointment in her eyes. "I thought our group made a good team—you, me, Den and I-Five." She averted her eyes and I could sense her discomfort. "We flew to Kantaros, a closed system and Imperial stronghold, rescued the Whiplash leader, killed the Inquisitor that's been hunting you down doggedly, faced off with Darth Vader and escaped to tell the tale." She abruptly turned away to hide her distress. "I'm sorry. I didn't consider you wouldn't want to keep me as your pilot and engineer."

The anguish in her voice made me truly realize the cowardliness of my behavior. I was pushing away a good friend and comrade, a person who jeopardized her life to save mine, just because I was afraid of growing close. I was so fearful of experiencing future emotionally pain that I was willing to hurt her instead. I stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder. "We _do_ make a great team."

She shook her head woefully. "I'm sorry. I don't know why I'm getting so emotional over nothing."

I took a deep breath and let it out. "Sacha, it's _not_ nothing. Somehow I've given you the impression that I don't want you around and that's not true. I couldn't think of any other person I would want piloting the _Laranth _more than you. You're an amazing individual."

She snuffled and drew a hand over her face. "Thanks."

My hand remained on her shoulder as I guided her off the ship. "Come on, we can go find Den and I-Five and discuss the room arrangements."

I could feel her spirits lift as we moved down the boarding ramp. I dropped my hand from her shoulder and gave her a furtive glance. "I was impressed with the way you handled the lightsaber. I sense Force potential within you. Would you consider training with me?"

She stopped and turned, looking shocked. "Jedi training?"

I nodded. "If that interests you."

A wide smile crossed across her face. "I would love to."

I smiled. "Good." We began walking again, making our way to the repair building where the Rodian teenager Geri was probably working on some type of modification for I-Five.

She glanced over and gave me a knowing look. "Does this mean I'll have to call you Master?"

There was no mistaking the teasing inflection in her voice. I laughed and shook my head. "I was only a Jedi Knight for a few months before _Flame Night_. I'm not even close to a Master's skill level. I would prefer you simply addressed me as Jax…your friend."

"Okay Jax," she said, her eyes bright with mischief. "That sounds like fun. I know I'll enjoy being under your tutelage."

This time her voice took on a definite flirtatious undertone. I kept facing forward, but I could feel her eyes watching me, searching for a response to her obviously seductive innuendos. I could feel a blush cross my face, but I remained silent as we walked to the Geri's repair shop.

Once there we found Geri, I-Five and Den in the middle of a very animated and erudite discussion concerning droid sentience programming as compared to disabling a droid's creative dampeners and allowing it to_ 'evolve'_ emotionally over the decades. According to I-Five the second option was the only true way to enlightenment. In his opinion, any sentience programing that immediately allowed a droid to become self-aware was still programing…albeit very advanced programing…but still programing.

I really couldn't argue with I-Five's conviction. He was not programed to be self-aware. It developed through the years while living with my father and then later with Den. I also knew my friendship with I-Five was not a product of ingenious programming. He was the real thing and the evidence of a slight Force signature within the droid—something that should be absolutely impossible—was more than enough proof that he was much more than a mere droid.

I didn't want to break up their scholarly debate, so we all agreed to meet later for lunch to discuss where we would live.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Entry 5**_

The Antarian Ranger's had a nice dining facility set up. It was similar to what we had at the Temple with a long serving counter where one could request hot foods from culinary droids. At the end of the chow line there was a salad bar, fizz-drink dispenser, and a dessert cart. With the exception of I-Five, we all went through the line choosing from an eclectic assortment of foods edible by humans and other species. After getting our meals we found a large table to occupy. Geri, Den and I-Five sat across the table from Sacha and me. Geri was barely seated before he began ravenously slurping down a foul smelling stew.

Den smiled at the teenage Rodian. "He's a growing boy," he said justifying the youngster's lack of table etiquette.

"He's hungry," I-Five said apologetically. "I kept him preoccupied most of the morning and early afternoon discussing droid programing and modifications. I sometimes forget that organics need to eat."

Sacha finished chewing a fried tuber and gestured to I-Five. "In that new HRD droid body, can you eat if you want to?"

He shook his head. "Not really. If I was trying to pass as human and for some reason needed to pretend to eat I can go through the movements of mastication, but I could not ingurgitate the resulting minced bolus."

Sacha looked confused before asking for clarification. "So are you saying you masticate, but don't swallow."

Geri went into a gagging fit and spit out a chunk of meat into a napkin. Den was snickering while slapping the boy on the back. "Don't eat so fast. You'll choke to death."

I-Five lifted one dark brow and smirked at Sacha. "That is correct. My oral orifice ends at the back of the throat and is waterproof. Otherwise my internal mechanisms would be fried."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Do you have the ability to perform _any_ biological functions?"

I-Five regarded her quizzically. "Captain Swiftbird…are you asking me if I am anatomically correct?"

That question resulted in another coughing fit from the young Rodian and this time Den was too busy laughing to give the youngster a helpful slap on the back. I offered I-Five a disapproving frown to discourage this line of conversation, but he appeared to be enjoying himself.

Sacha smiled coyly. "I have to admit I wondered exactly how_ human_ a human replicate droid is."

A slight smile crossed I-Five lips and for a nanosecond I thought he was actually flirting with the woman. "I have no oil or sweat glands nor do I produce saliva. I cannot cry for lack of tear ducts. He pulled the waistband of his trousers out away from his body and looked down his pants. "I do appear to have some unusual fleshy protrusions, but I believe they are only ornamental and not functional…at least not without further modification."

That was it for Geri. His green skin flushed red from laughter as he got up and excused himself from the table. Den made an amused snort before he buried his head in his hands.

"Knock it off," I said to the group. "We're here to discuss room arrangements, remember?"

Den composed himself. "True, true. I say we keep the roommate situation the same as when we were on Coruscant. Me and I-Five will bunk together."

I nodded. "Sacha said I-Five could have a private room as long as there were plenty of quarters available."

The droid shook his head. "There is no need. I don't require a bed and I enjoy Den's company."

The Sullastan beamed brightly at the comment. I-Five and Den have a deep friendship that developed years before I ever met the droid. I sometimes think Den is a little jealous over I-Five's sense of devotion to me. My father, Lorn Pavan, was the person who tinkered with his internal circuits allowing him to become the sentient droid he is today. The Jedi Order had taken me from my father when I was two years old and the stress of losing a son was too much for my family. My parents' divorced and my father developed a deep hatred for the Jedi Order. Before he died he gave I-Five a mission to protect and watch over his son. I-Five tracked me down last year, and from that moment on he has refused to leave my side…and in turn, Den has refused to leave I-Five's side. It is a complex relationship, but not one I would give up.

"That's fine with me," I said. I turned to Sacha. "Are there two rooms near your quarters?"

A devastating smile blossomed across her face. "There is. Should I get them assigned to you?"

"Yes," I hesitated for a moment. "Can you get three? I eventually will need one for Magash."

That smile slipped right off Sacha's face. "Magash? The Dathomiri witch?"

I could feel the tension building up within Sacha. Den was right, there was some friction between the women. "Yes, I invited her to join me to train as a Jedi. I haven't heard back from her yet, but if we can reserve a room for her that would be great." I could see Sacha's jaw tighten. "Is there a problem?"

She shook her head a little too adamantly. "No, there's no problem. Everything is fine."

The edge in her voice told me everything _wasn't_ fine. I looked over to Den and I-Five who were silently taking in this conversation. "Sacha, if her presence is going to cause a problem, please tell me now."

She shook her head. "I just found most of the witches…abrasive. One of the women bragged that their men know their place. They are workers, gatherers and breeding stock."

I nodded understanding her concern and somewhat relieved that her conflict with Magash was cultural and not necessarily personal. "It's a different society and I don't agree with their philosophy when it comes to their treatment of men, but one way to create change is to expose them to a different way of life. If we can show Magash that men can be more than simply slave labor and breeding stock, then she can go back to her world and hopefully work toward male equality."

She stabbed at her food with her fork while giving me an understanding nod. "I guess that's a good plan…show her a man can be a woman's equal."

I smiled broadly, relieved that we have come to an understanding. "Great. If we can get three rooms together near you that would be optimal."

"Will do," she said before munching down on a large piece of nerf steak making it impossible for her to talk for a while.

I noticed Den and I-Five glancing at each other as Den's mouth twisted into a tight-lipped grin.

I would have to ask them later what they found so humorous.


	6. Chapter 6

_**Entry 6**_

The next day I was assigned billets. I have a nice room with a private shower. The quarters are not huge, but I have a warm bunk, a dresser, writing table, and a closet. I placed my Miisai tree on top of the dresser and made sure the automatic feeding system was working properly.

I then put away what little clothing I owned to include the Inquisitor Uniform I acquired through Pol Haus, a Corsucanti Sector Police Prefect and undercover Whiplash leader. I had used it to walk into the Imperial Security Bureau and deep into the lair of the Inquisitoris—the secret division of Imperial Intelligence that uses dark side Force-sensitive agents. It was an excellent disguise. Most Imperial officers and troopers avoid eye contact with the Inquisitors, let alone talk to them. The black and maroon uniform sparks fear and dread throughout the Empire. Only Darth Vader could inspire more trepidation.

I looked at my nearly empty closet and realized I really need to purchase some new outfits. Currently I had a couple changes of underwear, three tunics, a black bantha leather vest, bare thin trousers, black boots and a grey thigh-length greatcoat. I should go into the nearby town, Big Woolly, to see about purchasing clothing and personal items.

I already needed more hair dye. The roots of my normally brown hair were showing under my black dyed locks. At least I no longer needed to shave—having permanently depilated my beard soon after Order 66 was issued. I ran a hand over my smooth face with a tinge of regret. After I was knighted I started growing out my beard and liked the way facial hair looked on me, but after _Flame_ _Night_ I was determined to live in obscurity. I cut and dyed my hair and removed my nascent beard in the hopes that I wouldn't be recognized. I lived in the decrepit lower levels of Coruscant and took on paying assignments as a private detective, utilizing my Jedi skills to find missing people or to help an occasional scorned wife determine exactly what her husband was doing when he was _'working late'_.

Unfortunately, when I joined Whiplash I was brought to the attention of the Empire and now they know what I currently look like. I guess I should dye my hair a different color, but I don't think I would look good as a blond or a redhead. I'll ether stay with the black hair or let my natural brown grow out.

The door buzzer chimed and I went and opened the door. Outside I found I-Five and Den. "Come on in," I said while motioning them inside. I gestured for Den to take the desk chair while I sat on my bed. I figured I-Five wouldn't mind standing. "What's up?"

Den leaned back in the chair, his large black eyes unblinking. "We were wondering if you could talk to Prefect Haus and see if he has access to some of the accounts Dejah was pilfering to keep us in credits."

It wasn't a surprise that Den was concerned about our finances. Now that we were out of the private detective business we had no sources of income. The credits to which he was referring was money paid to us by Dejah Duare, a Zeltron business partner of the extremely rich Light artist named Ves Volette. When Volette was murdered Dejah hired me to find his killer. After that case was solved she decided to throw her lot in with _Whiplash_ and having access to the late Volette's monetary assets and real estate, she became our benefactor. Those months, living in the higher levels of Coruscant and not having to scrounge for credits were good times…until Dejah betrayed me to Darth Vader.

My stomach knots up every time I think of that day and I often wondered why I didn't see that coming. One of my Force skills was seeing a person's connection to the Force in the form of string-like auras surrounding them. Usually if a person had evil intent the swirling aura would turn black. I should have foreseen her betrayal, but her Zeltron pheromones had my brain befuddled. She manipulated me like a beautiful holo-scarlet seducing a teenage boy. I was able to resist her sexual advances, but I didn't realize she was subtly affecting my judgment to the detriment of my friends. I even abandoned an injured Laranth at the hospital because of Dejah's mood altering pheromones. I still can't believe it. I lived in the same apartment with a traitor and I never sensed it.

What made matters worse was her infuriating explanation for her treachery. She didn't betray me for politics, for money or prestige. No, she betrayed me because I didn't fulfill her desires. Her slight telepathic abilities allowed her to derive sensory pleasure via the Force, but only through close contact with a Force adept…but I never gave in to her seductive ways and always kept her at arms length. She betrayed me and double-crossed _Whiplash_ so she could be around Vader and his Sith Inquisitors. According to her, she found touching the Force intoxicating, euphoric, putting her in an almost sensual rapture. I can only imagine Probus Tesla, the human male Inquisitor who almost captured me, was more than willing to satisfy all of Dejah's…needs. The thought that Dejah's pillow talk doomed some Whiplash members made me sick to my stomach. But in the end both Dejah and Tesla were dead. Dejah was killed by a strong burst of Force energy and Tesla… he was killed by a Sith blade welded by Antarian Ranger Sacha Swiftbird. Both deaths were a bit ironic.

"Jax," Den said while waving a hand in front of my face. "You're zoning out on me."

I pulled out of my musings and chuckled. "Sorry. Hearing her name brings back memories and intense emotions…all of them bad." I thought about their question and shook my head. "I can ask Pol Haus, but I am sure once Dejah betrayed us any coffers she had access to were quickly depleted by the Empire. Why?"

Den looked to I-Five and then back to me. "We can't find a suitable I-5YQ droid body for I-Five. Since those models are scarce we were hoping we could purchase a used C3PO body."

My brow furrowed as I looked over to I-Five. "I thought you liked your new HRD body?" I gave him a questioning gaze. "The teasing you received from Sacha and me didn't turn you off from the model, did it?"

There was a slight roll to I-Five's eyes. "No Jax. Neither the accusation that I sexually propositioned you nor Sacha's insatiable curiosity as to how '_functional_' I am did not diminish my enjoyment of this particular chassis."

Den's large eyes grew wider. "You propositioned Jax?"

I-Five made a dismissive snorting noise. "No, I believe that was simply wishful thinking on Jax's part."

"Please." I gave a shake of my head and chuckled. "I wasn't the one putting on make-up and fishing for compliments."

"Huh?" Den said confused while looking back-and-forth between us.

"You're just jealous that I am now a more attractive human than you." I-Five said with a smug grin before continuing with his explanation. "To answer your question, I do like this body and find it a preferable physical form in this particular environment. I have discovered that humans and other sentient beings treat me more as an equal when I am not in a obvious droid form."

I could sense a tinge of disappointment in his voice. I guess I could understand that. Everybody wants to be accepted for who they are. In this case most people will never see a droid as anything more than a cold, lifeless piece of machinery. "So why are you looking for a I-5 or C3PO body?"

"I prefer using this body while _here_ because of the favorable treatment I receive, but when on missions I believe I can be more of an asset in a conventional droid body. Protocol droids or R2 units often go about business unnoticed, which is an advantage in undercover missions. Besides, I don't want to risk this HRD chassis being beheaded like my last few droid bodies."

That made a lot of sense to me. "I'll try to find some funding. I would think the droid that was instrumental in rescuing Yimmon should be rewarded in some way." I glanced over to Den. "In the meanwhile, I got a message from Dathomir. Magash agreed to train. We should make arrangements to pick her up."

Den gave I-Five an amused look. "Are you sure you are up to training two Padawans?"

I sighed deeply. "I don't know if I am ready to train anybody, but I don't want the Jedi to disappear from the galaxy. It is my responsibility to repopulate the Jedi Order."

"I understand." Den stood and gave me a pat on the shoulder. "I'll get the _Laranth_ ready for departure."

I-Five opened the door to leave. "I'll help prep the ship." He turned back to me. "I'm sure you, Sacha and Magash will want to get busy repopulating the Jedi as soon as possible."

Den gave a slap to I-Five's shoulders with a laugh as the two left.

I gritted my teeth as they departed. They never teased me about these things when I was dating Laranth. That is probably because Laranth would have shot those two out of an airlock if she found out what they were saying.

So now I have four things on my "To Do" list. Find out about finances, buy new clothing, locate a protocol droid body and bring Magash to Toprawa.


	7. Chapter 7

_**Entry 7**_

We received clearance to go to Dathomir. Of course Sacha insisted on accompanying us. I told her we were not going on a mission, but simply a passenger run. She informed me that although I was a good pilot I still needed an engineer. Arguing with her would only make matters worse, so I relented, but before departure I needed to talk to I-Five and Den about keeping their sarcastic innuendoes in check during the flight.

I went over to their room and entered after buzzing door indicator. Inside I found Den Dhur and I-Five packing their day bags. It was odd seeing a droid pack his luggage, but now that he was in human form he needed a change of clothing. He may not sweat like a human, but his outfit could be soiled by rain, mud, and any assortment of splashing liquid or solids.

I shut the door and crossed my arms in front of me. "I don't know why you two think it is so funny to make suggestive remarks about me and Sacha or Magash, but I would appreciate if you stopped. I don't want the women getting ideas."

Den looked confused. "Sacha knows we're joking around."

I drew in a deep calming breath. "Sacha may, but Magash will not understand your jesting especially when it comes to relationships between men and woman. She lives in a matriarchy, they have restricted contact with outsiders and as far as I can tell, they have a very a limited sense of humor." I gave the two a stern look. "Also, don't you think being flippant about my relationships with other females is a bit disrespectful to me and Laranth's memory?"

Den's head dropped as his dewflaps suffused with shame. Even I-Five managed to look acutely embarrassed.

I-Five was the first to respond. "We meant no disrespect Jax. Our unsuccessful attempts at humor had no ill intent." He gave me a fixed gaze. "You were a very serious and unhappy man when I first met you. You appeared lost and running on automatic pilot. It was only when you established a relationship with Laranth that I saw light return to your eyes. When she died, a part of you died with her. You may not admit it, but some of your actions in recent months were almost suicidal. You left your friends behind to rescue Yimmon alone. You do not appear to care if you live or die." He walked up to me and put a hand on my shoulder. "But we care."

"It's true, Jax," Den said frankly. "You were crushed by Laranth's death. You spend hours in your cabin meditating and shutting the world out. We just want to lighten the mood. Sacha is lighthearted and she has a way of cheering us all up. She's a good person to be around." He paused and averted his eyes. "But, you're right. We were meddling." He shook his head. "It's just…you're in your twenties. We didn't want you to spend the next sixty years in mourning."

I heaved a deep sigh. "I know you guys are trying to look out for me. You're my friends…"

I-Five quickly interrupted me. "You are more than a_ friend_ Jax…at least to me. I don't believe you fully comprehend how I perceive our relationship."

I raised a confused eyebrow. "And that is?"

I-Five scrutinized at me intently. "Jax, your father is the man that created me. It's true that I was built in a factory, but he was the person who altered my hardware and programing. Without him I would not be self-aware. He is like a father to me. No, he _is_ my father." He smiled at me nervously. "And therefore that makes you my brother."

My jaw dropped. "Your brother?"

He gave me a sheepish grin. "At least half-brothers."

I laughed good-naturedly as I turned and looked at Den. "How about you? How are we related?"

"I am your friend and roommate of your brother from a different mother." Den laughed out loud. "Seriously, we're family and we need to look out for each other."

"We thought being upbeat and jocular would bring you out of your melancholy quicker," I-Five explained. "We should have realized our actions might be construed as insensitive so soon after your loss."

I took a deep breath and rubbed a hand over my face. "It _is _too soon. It will take years to recover from Laranth's death."

The two stood in an embarrassed silence. I looked to them and gave a forced smile. "Hey, don't get all gloomy on me. You meant well. Jesting is fine, just don't involve Magash and Sacha. I don't want to give them the impression that I want anything from them but friendship."

"We understand," Den said as I-Five gave a nod.

I opened the door and started to leave when I-Five called out. "Is it still acceptable for me to flirt with Sacha?"

I turned to him and grinned. "Knock yourself out, brother. She seems to like it."


	8. Chapter 8

_**Entry 8**_

We arrived on Dathomir a few days later. Sacha set the _Laranth_ down in an open field near the Singing Mountain Clan's village. During our last visit we were met by a number of the witches on foot, but this time things were different. We walked down the boarding ramp of the ship and found ourselves alone. I knew the ship's approach and landing couldn't have gone unnoticed, so I was a bit confused that a greeting party was not sent.

We closed up the ship and prepared to walk to the village when we heard a terrifying roar of a large beast. Den looked up at me with panic on his face. "Is that a rancor?"

"Rancors," I said. "It sounds like more than one."

"Then lets get back on the ship," Den started to retreat back to the _Laranth_, but I grabbed him by his tunic holding him fast.

"I sense riders with them. They are under the control of the witches. This might be a test."

Den's voice raised a hitch. "A test for what? Who can soil their trousers the fastest? Because I think I just aced that exam."

I-Five chimed in. "It is more likely that they wish to see if we are worthy enough to take one of their sisters off planet."

I nodded. "I-Five is probably right. We are asking them to send one of their top lieutenants to train with a man. True, I am a Jedi, but I am still a man. Probably many women in the village think Magash is being foolish and want to demonstrate that even a Jedi male will flee at the sight of a rancor."

"Well, I'm not a Jedi and I'm not going to train her…so it should be acceptable if I stand behind you."

I shrugged my shoulders. "Fine. But I really don't think the riders will allow their mounts to eat you." As I said those words, three rancors with riders burst out of the tree line and quickly headed in our direction.

Sacha was standing by my side and I could feel a ripple of fear radiating from her, but much to my surprise she stood firm, head up, with a determined look on her face. The beasts halted approximately twenty meters from our position. We were out of range of the monster's enormous claws and jaws, but close enough that we could smell the carnivores' foul breath wafting over us. I looked up and saw Magash riding the center rancor. She swung her leg over the animal's neck and dropped down from its back, landing deftly on the ground.

I know my jaw went slack as I took in her striking figure-hugging outfit. It appeared her people were sending her off in the Dathomiri wardrobe equivalent of a dress uniform. She was wearing a skintight, cleavage enhancing, bustier-like tunic that appeared to be made out of lizard skin leather. The lower part of her body was covered with a colorful knee length breechclout and protective leather leggings that began just below her knees and extended down to her well-worn leather boots. As she slowly walked toward me I couldn't help but noticed the tone of her muscles and the grace of her movement.

I gave Sacha a furtive glance. "She reminds me of the heroine of the holo-series Xuna-Warrior Princess."

Sacha gave me a slight shrugged. "Or Xuna-barbarian pole dancer."

I shot her a warning glare. "Be nice Sacha." I could hear her snicker under her breath, but she didn't expand on that thought.

Magash walked up and stopped in front on me. Her face was a mixture of defiance and determination. "I accept your offer to train, Jedi Jax Pavan." Her gaze travelled over to Sacha and I saw her eyes narrow before she turned to addressed me. "I can feel her fear of the rancors."

Sacha wasn't the only one frightened by the beasts. None of us were comfortable around animals that could swallow a person whole. Den's apprehension flowed through the Force with such abundance that it put me on edge. Sacha glowered at Magash but didn't respond to her taunt.

Magash turned her regard to Sacha. "She fears the animals, but she did not flinch." She looked to where Den was now pretending to be adjusting his boot instead of crouching behind I-Five. "Unlike others in your party."

Den's face flushed as he stood and tried to look nonchalant. "I was just getting a pebble out of my boot."

Magash laughed before she turned her attention back to Sacha. "Having fear of rancors is understandable. Overcoming that fear is admirable." She gave Sacha a nod of her head. "She has the heart of a witch. Perhaps she should stay here and train. There is much we can learn from each other."

I could feel a spike of irritation from Sacha. "No thanks. Jax is training me to be a Jedi Knight." She put a possessive hand on my shoulder.

Magash nodded and then walked back to her Rancor and untied a carrying bag from its saddle before she tossed the animal's reins to one of the other witches.

"Return soon," one of the riders called out.

"Learn much," the other added.

The women kicked the side of their rancors with the heels of their boots. "Go." The animals roared, then turned and stomped off in the direction of the clan's village.

Magash watched her sister's disappear into the woods before her gaze travelled across the green landscape. I could sense she was anxious about leaving her home and her clan, but there was an underlying curiosity and resolve that overrode all wariness. She turned and gave me a grim smile. "I am ready to train."

Flinging her bag over her shoulder, she briskly walked up the boarding ramp of the ship.


	9. Chapter 9

_**Entry 9**_

This was the first time Magash had been in a spacecraft, so I thought she would enjoy sitting up in the cockpit to see the sights. She was fine until the ship roughly lurched upon take off. As we gained altitude her grip on the armrests grew tighter and tighter until her knuckles were white. Once we breeched the planetary atmosphere we leveled out and had an amazingly beautiful view of Dathomir. I looked over to Magash and noticed her normally red skin was now blanched from fright, but she kept her facial features even in an attempt to hide her apprehension.

Without taking her hands off the steering yoke, Sacha glanced over to the Zabrak woman and smirked. "Having fear of flying is understandable. Overcoming that fear is admirable," she said parroting Magash's earlier remarks about the rancors. I groaned inwardly hoping Sacha's sarcastic quip didn't lead to fisticuffs. To my surprise Magash lips twitched with amusement. "My clan has an old saying, _do what you fear and fear disappears_. You have helped me overcome a fear today. When we return to Dathomir I will teach you to ride a rancor so you may do the same."

I saw Sacha's smug smirk quickly fade. I don't think she really wants to overcome her fear of rancors if it requires her to ride one. I wasn't sure if this verbal sparring would continue, so I decided it was best to separate the ladies.

"Magash, let's go into the passenger compartment so Sacha can concentrate of piloting."

She nodded and followed me to the back of the ship to where Den and I-Five were sitting. She sat in a dining area seat and eyed I-Five for a very long time. He and Den were sitting on a padded bench attached to the bulkhead. "This one is different." She pointed to the droid. "He is a handsome, strong looking male, but his spirit is faint."

Obviously Magash picked up the fact that I-Five could be felt in the Force.

"I-Five is not a man, but a droid. The last time you saw him he was in a different droid body. We can switch his computer brain into different chassis." I explained.

The Zabrak woman's eyes went wide. "This is a mechanical being?"

"Yes, I am," I-Five informed her with a disarming smile.

She stared at him intently, in near awe. I supposed it is a lot to take in. Dathomir is not a high-technology planet and the presence of droids is exceedingly rare. Now she is faced with one that looked eerily human.

She looked over to me and said, "May I closer inspect your droid?"

I saw I-Five frown. "You can ask him yourself."

She turned her attention to I-Five. "May I inspect you?"

He squared his shoulders as he returned her gaze. "As long as it doesn't involve taking me apart."

She nodded and then slowly approached I-Five. Her gaze slowly raked up his body from his feet to his head. She then moved closer so she could inspect his hair, running her fingers through his tresses as she tried to determine its composition.

"Is this real hair from a human or some type of fiber?" Magash asked as she leaned forward to inspect the droid's dark brown hair more closely. It became painfully obvious that Magash did not see I-Five as anything but a droid… or else she probably wouldn't be standing in her current position with her breasts only centimeters from I-Five's face.

Dhur was sitting next to them and biting his bottom lip to keep his laughter in check. If I-Five was uncomfortable with the Zabrak woman's intense scrutiny he did not show it.

"It is a synthetic polymer fiber," he explained to her. "It is designed for strength and flexibility."

She knelt in front of I-Five and gazed at his face, examining his eyes. "I can see flickers of intelligence in your eyes."

I-Five gave her a wry grin. "I'll take that as a compliment."

She reached forward and ran a caressing hand over his face. "It is difficult to believe you are not a man. This feels like real flesh…and I can feel your spirit, but that is impossible for a machine. Only living things can be sensed through our magic."

I-Five reached up and took her hand in his and drew it away from his face. "I don't know why I can be detected in the Force." He let go of her hand and then looked over to me. "Even Jax can't explain it."

She sat back on her heals, her eyes never leaving I-Five's. "You are like the Spirit Ichor demon of our legends."

I-Five's brow creased slightly. "And what exactly is a Spirit Ichor demon?"

"There was an ancient story about a powerful Nightsister who could craft idols of her enemies. By using Spirit Ichor…or as Jax would call it—the Force—she could bathe the idol with the spirit of her enemy. She would then throw the totem into boiling water and the pain would transfer to the victim the idol represented."

"How delightful," I-Five said sarcastically.

Either Magash didn't catch his sarcastic tone or chose to ignore it. As she continued her story I could see Den was captivated by the tale. He leaned forward to better hear the witch. "One day the Nightsister shaman constructed a humanoid idol carved of a sacred wood from the forbidden forest. Her victim was an enemy clan elder. She spent days casting spells and calling on to the spirits to bring life to the totem. But the enemy she wished to kill was a more powerful witch. The shaman's magic was turned against her and brought death and destruction to her people. The wooden totem awoke and grew in size. The creature picked up a knife and killed Nightsister after Nightsister until the morning dawn. Only a few Nightsisters survived. They mounted their rancors and fled the village during the night. The creature was never found and many believe it still roams the forests looking for new victims."

At this point I-Five quickly turned to Den and gave out a startled yell, "So watch out." The sudden noise made Den jump back in fright before his face burned with embarrassment. He punched I-Five in the shoulder. "Don't scare me like that!"

The droid smiled at his friend. "I could not stop myself. I may need my programing checked."

Den scowled at him. "Yeah, sure."

I-Five turned back to Magash. "I can promise you I am not a Spirit Ichor demon. Nobody conjured up a life-force to make me a living thing."

Magash cocked her head to the side in confusion. "Then why do I feel the Force in you?" She looked over to me. "Did a Nightsister suffuse the spirit of the living into this mechanical man?"

I shook my head. "We have never encountered a Nightsister. His weak Force signature is a complete mystery to me."

Magash rose and stepped back from the droid. She put her arms out with her fingertips touching and began uttering words in an unknown language. When I-Five startled in his seat I realized she was scanning him with the Force. I underwent such a scan by the Singing Mountain Clan when I first went to meet their leader. After a few seconds she seemed to relax. "Whatever is in him is not from darkness."

I-Five shuddered and I was afraid his droid brain was damaged. "Are you alright?"

I-Five looked up to me, eyes wide in a very human look of surprise. "It felt like a warm, humid breeze ran through my circuits."

I nodded. "It is the way Dathomiri witches scan you...to sense your intentions and Force presence."

I-Five remained still as his eyes blinked a few times in concentration. He looked back to me. "I ran a self-diagnostic. I do not believe I am compromised." He looked back to Magash and frowned. "The next time you want to enter me and take a look around, could you please give me a warning. I felt…" He paused for a moment until he found the right word. "…violated."

Magash gave a slight bow of her head. "I apologize."

"Apology accepted." I-Five said curtly before he stood and moved toward the cockpit. "I am going to see if Sacha wants some company. Hopefully she won't molest me."

Den laughed. "Poor I-Five. We better hurry and get him a new I-5YQ or C3PO body before one of the lonely ladies on Toprawa snatches him up."

I had to chuckle at the droid's predicament. First he was irritated when people ignored him, now he's getting too much attention. _

* * *

_._

* * *

_Author's Note: In the Coruscant Nights Trilogy and the novel The Last Jedi, I-Five mysteriously acquired a Force signature. Jax has no clue as to why this has occurred. So this is not something I made up. It is canon._


	10. Chapter 10

_**Entry 10**_

On the trip back I worked with Magash on some preliminary Force exercises, such as meditation or the movement of objects using the Force. She can do it, but she still believes she needs to cast a spell in order to perform the feat. That is fine when you have time, but in a survival situation one doesn't have the luxury of going through ritualized singing and dancing.

We were in my cabin, sitting crosslegged on the deck. Magash was concentrating on moving a small bowl I found in the galley. She stared at the object, her face pinched with concentration as she attempted to move the bowl without vocalization. When the bowl did not move, Magash became frustrated. She uttered a few words and the bowl flew across the deck. "I have been taught since a child to follow our _Book of Law_. It records the proper spells and dictates our moral code."

Her remark about a code piqued my interest. "What is your code?"

She hesitated and I wondered if this information was forbidden for men to know. Eventually she spoke.

"_Those who suffer emotion will never enjoy peace._

_Those who choose ignorance will never know their own greatness._

_Those who yield to passion will fail to dominate._

_Those who fear death will never achieve pure power._

_Never forget that your magic must always be used wisely. Never concede to evil, lest you be consumed by it_."

I was surprised. "Your writings in the Book of Law are very similar to the Jedi code which is:

_There is no emotion, there is peace._

_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._

_There is no passion, there is serenity._

_There is no death, there is the Force._"

She nodded softly. "That is good that our moral teachings are close. It makes training easier."

We worked on the technique for a few hours. Eventually she was able to shift objects without casting a spell…but I noticed her lips were moving silently as she did so. I knew the spells were running through her head during the exercise.

It is just the first day. She's making great progress.

* * *

_**Entry 11**_

Once on Toprawa I realized we needed to get different clothing for Magash. Her current outfit was causing a huge distraction to the men at the base. As she walked across the hanger bay, two male technicians strolled by her, eyes transfixed on her bosom, before they walked into a support pillar. We can't have the entire male Antarian Ranger fighting force suffering from head concussions.

Sacha showed Magash to her quarters and gave her a very baggy coverall to wear. Magash changed and came out of her quarters practically swimming in the overly large jumpsuit. She held her arms out allowing us to see how the garment hung on her. "This does not fit."

Sacha shook her head. "No, work coveralls are supposed to be really loose."

Magash regarded Sacha's formfitting jumpsuit. "You have gained weight?"

I barely contained a chuckle before I jumped into the conversation. "That outfit is just until I can find one that fits better." I gave her a reassuring smile. "You look great. Come on, I'll show you around."

I guided her away from Sacha Swiftbird. I don't know why these two women don't seem to like each other. I showed Magash the dining facility, the mechanics repair shop, and then walked her around the perimeter of the Ranger's base of operation. She gazed out to the towering pines surrounding the secret outpost as a warm, sweet smelling breeze whipped through her black hair. "I can feel magic…the Force flowing through the trees."

I regarded the giant pines with a sense of reverence. "Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi believed the Force flowed through the sap in these trees. This planet is effused with the lightside of the Force." I pointed out to the conifers in the distance. "I think we should look for a training area within the forest. It is always dangerous to touch the Force. We can be sensed by Sith. We were somewhat safe on the ship while in hyperspace, but here we must be careful."

She turned to me and nodded. "Let us find a training site, Jedi Pavan."

"Jax," I reminded her.

She smiled. "Jax."

* * *

_**Entry 12**_

The undergrowth around the forest was full of burs and thorns but once we reached the tree line the darkness created by the tree canopy restricted plant life near the base of the trees. We looked around and found a fairly open space between the conifers. It wasn't a huge opening, but large enough for lightsaber practice.

I was pacing out the diameter of the training area when Magash spoke. "The droid said you would be training the other woman." She was leaning against a rock outcrop watching me, her face emotionless.

I stopped and looked up to her. "Yes, is there a problem with that?"

She shook her head. "No."

I studied her for a moment. Sacha was always evasive when I asked her about her feelings on Magash. Perhaps Magash would be more upfront and honest. The witches didn't seem the type to hold back their words to avoid hurt feelings. "Magash, please be honest with me. I sense some tension between you and Sacha. What is going on between you two? I want to fix this situation. I want you two to be friends."

She actually looked confused. "There is always tension between women who are not of the same clan."

"And why is that?"

She looked even more puzzled by my comment. "Clan sisters share supplies and protect each other. When women of another clan come into our territory it is usually to steal our men or other resources."

_Men or other resources. _He didn't like the sound of that. I was hoping to convince Magash that men could be equals. "I'm hoping that while you are training on Toprawa you would be part of our clan…the Antarian Rangers. We fight against the Empire and the Sith."

Her eyes were unreadable, but she nodded. "I would be honored to be a part of your clan and have Sacha Swiftbird as a clan sister. The Sullustan told me how she defeated a Sith. She is a formidable fighter." Her head turned suddenly looking out in the direction we had come. "Somebody is approaching." She stepped closer to the tree line as I reached out with the Force trying to identify the interloper.

"It's Den Dhur," I finally said. We walked through the woods until we came upon my diminutive friend.

Den was trying to pull the burs off his overalls as he limped up to us. "You had to go on a stroll through a patch of Fire Nettle and Cockleburs." He hopped up and down on one foot while he removed one boot and pulled out a handful of thorns.

"Well, I didn't expect to be followed."

"I wouldn't if I didn't have to. Aren Folee and Degan Cor want to see you." Den hopped a few more times before he was successful in putting his boot back on.

I could see the confusion on Magash's face. "They are part of the Antarian Ranger leadership." I looked back to Den. "Did they say what is going on?"

"They got a message from Pol Haus. Whiplash agent Sheel Mafeen has been captured by the Empire."

I had a sinking feeling about this. "Let's go."


	11. Chapter 11

_**Entry 13**_

Pol Haus was transmitting via encrypted holo-transceiver and asked to talk with me privately, making both Aren and Degan look at me with some suspicion. I simply shrugged my shoulders in confusion as they exited the office.

The Zabrak Sector Police Prefect looked gaunt and grief-stricken. "Jax, I need your help. I need a Jedi."

"To save Sheel. I was told." Sheel Mafeen was a well-known Togruta poetess who worked with the resistance. Since she moved from city-to-city and planet-to-planet to do recitals she was the perfect operative to carry messages between various Whiplash and resistance enclaves.

"Yes," he looked down and appeared to fidget in his seat. "Jax, I know you went after Yimmon because he was a key player of Whiplash. Your team risked their lives to literally save the organization, but Sheel…Sheel and I were never key players in the resistance until the recent deaths of Tuden Sal and the other Whiplash operatives." He paused and took a deep breath. "I've talked to Yimmon and he and I both know Sheel doesn't have any strategic information that would warrant a near suicidal rescue mission…especially because she wasn't arrested for being a Whiplash operative and therefore it is doubtful she will be interrogated by members of the Inquisitorius."

My brow rose. "Why did she get arrested then?"

Pol had trouble maintaining his composure and he let out a contemptuous laugh. "For writing a poem and reciting it at a public venue—a poem which some Imperial officer deemed seditious in nature. That was all it took for her to be arrested and shipped off to a prison planet."

It felt like the air was pulled from my lungs. A prison planet was no place for a poetess. "I'm so sorry. So…Yimmon doesn't think she is worth sending a rescue team?" Once I said the words I realized how awful and callous they sound. I couldn't believe Yimmon would abandon one of our own.

Haus' bottom lip started to tremble and he bit down on it. He looked directly at me and I could see unshed tears in his eyes. "Yimmon is a leader who is looking out for the organization. He knows getting her off the planet would jeopardize much needed Whiplash operatives and it is unlikely any mission would succeed."

I sat there silently waiting for him to continue. "Jax…I have a relationship with Sheel. It was only the start of a relationship, I admit. After the death of so many whiplash leaders on Coruscant we realized life is short. We both were attracted to each other and were always close friends…but recently it became more…and then she was pulled away from me."

My heart and stomach sank. Pol Haus had just lost his lover to the Imperials and Yimmon had proclaimed her not worthy of a rescue mission. "Haus, I'm so sorry." And I was sorry. I knew exactly what he was going through. I finally found love with Laranth and then she was brutally torn from my life, but there was one difference. Laranth was dead, Sheel may very well be alive and well…for now.

"I can't ask you to risk your life to rescue her, but I know only a Jedi could pull off the impossible. Still…I…oh…kriff…maybe this is a bad idea. I can't ask you to do this."

"You don't have to ask Pol. I'll do it. You are with law enforcement. Knowing you, you already have a plan."

He let out a shuddered breath and this times tears did escape his eyes. "Thank you! Thank you! Can you come to Coruscant? I think I may be able to get you in as a guard of a prison barge."

I nodded. "I'll be there."

* * *

_**Entry 14**_

When I exited the office Aren Folee and Degan Cor fell in step with me. "What was that about? Why the secrecy?"

I stopped and turned to Aren. Her pale grey eyes stared at me suspiciously.

"Pol Haus made a personal plea to me as a friend to help him rescue Sheel."

Degan ran his hand through his dark hair looking perplexed. "Why would he need to do that? Weren't we going to do that anyway?"

I shook my head. "Yimmon doesn't think a rescue mission has any chance of success." I know my jaw clenched at the thought. "He's not sending anyone to save her."

Aren appeared stunned. "Oh," she said sadly. "I disagree with his decision, but I'm not a Cerean with a binary brain. He probably knows something we don't."

"Yimmon is the leader of Whiplash, not the Antarian Rangers." Degan gave me a level gaze. "Have you officially thrown your lot in with us?"

I nodded. "I told Whiplash it was too dangerous for me to stay on Coruscant. My intent is to remain with the Rangers."

"Good." Degan smiled and I could see his approval in his eyes. "For the last six hundred years the Antarian Rangers have supported and served the Jedi Knights…and since you are the last known Jedi…just let us know what you need and we'll get it for you."

I smiled at the man and gave him a friendly squeeze of his shoulder. "Thank you. I need to get to Coruscant. Pol has a plan."

I said my goodbyes the two leaders and headed back to my cabin to pack. I didn't like leaving Magash and Sacha right when I was going to begin their training, but that would just have to wait.

I went to Den and I-Five cabin to tell them I was going to Coruscant alone. That news was met with great resistance.

"No kark'n way you are going back to Coruscant alone," Den informed me in no uncertain terms. "Every time you run off unaccompanied you almost get killed. If I-Five, Sacha and I didn't coincidently go to Kantaros Station to try to rescue Yimmon ourselves you'd probably be dead. It took all of us to survive and if Sheel is on a prison planet you are going to need all the help you can get."

"I managed to survive on the streets of Coruscant long before I met you two," I reminded them.

"Let us at least come to Coruscant with you when you talk to Pol Haus," I-Five requested. "His plan may need a droid." He looked down at Den Dhur. "Or a short, stubborn Sullustan."

"No, you're not going with me."

"Where are you going?" I heard a female voice behind me. I turned and found Sacha and Magash standing in the open doorway.

"I'm going to Coruscant for a mission. I'll be back in no time. I need you to stay here."

"He's going to rescue Sheel Mafeen from a prison planet," Den announced to the women. I cringed knowing this was not going to go over well with Sacha.

"You're not going anywhere without your team," she said emphatically.

"We're not a team," I tried to reason with her.

Sacha put her hands on her hips and glared at me. "You once told me we made a great team! Or are we a team only when it is convenient for you?"

"Sacha…" I began and then trailed off. I did tell her we were a team and to be honest we were a very effective and cohesive fighting unit. Unfortunately this was a mission for a lone Jedi.

Magash stepped forward. She was still wearing that ridiculous jumpsuit, but the expression on her face was dead serious.

"Jax Pavan, today you asked me to be part of your clan." She turned to face Sacha before her gazed moved to I-Five and Den. "You wanted me to work together with your group. You said we would all be part of the Antarian Rangers clan." Her eyes narrowed. "Clan members fight together. To leave without us would bring dishonorable upon me. I would be seen as a disgraced fighter to my people…not worthy to remain a member of the Singing Mountain Clan."

I groaned softly. I didn't know enough about Dathomir culture to determine if she was exaggerating the truth or not. My head dropped in defeat. "I guess there is no point in arguing. Even if I managed to sneak off planet, you'll be right behind me, right?"

Sacha smirked. "Right."

I sighed deeply. "I guess we all are going to Coruscant."


End file.
